RE: The ducks are getting away after being shot!
 

another idea, wich i suggest at the local shooting range. Try extending your lead a little farther...think of it like this...when u shoot u have some bb's flying faster those are thinner and up in front more...as you get farther back in the pattern you get more, tighter bb's so if u extend ure lead...you will be hitting the duck with the best part of the pattern. just a thought. MNfowl

RE: The ducks are getting away after being shot!
 

Get 'em in close and practice a bunch in the off season...better luck on future outings!!!

RE: The ducks are getting away after being shot!
 

Thats pretty crazy. You sure spent alot of time looking. Get a nice lab. They make great pets too.

RE: The ducks are getting away after being shot!
 

$10 says you're using too large a shot size. Go to number 5 Matrix (not steel). One pellet of #2 through the gut, the duck is down and lost, without a dog. One pellet of #5 thru the gut, one thru the chest, and one thru the throat, the duck is down and dead.

On a recent trip to Canada, no dog, three of us using matrix 5's in potholes,shot 71 ducks, retrieved 60. A dog would have gotten them all (well, mayber not the 2 crippled redheads).

In the fields, using Matrix 4's for geese, weshot 23, retrieved 22, and never had to shoot a cripple over.

Try that with steel.

Years ago, when we shot several hundred ducks a season, mostly divers, lead #6's were the norm with lead #8's for cripples. Deadly.

RE: The ducks are getting away after being shot!
 

I'm a firm believer in tight patterns and using dogs.

RE: The ducks are getting away after being shot!
 

I will have to agree there is nothin better for downed birds than a good dog or in my case a decent dog

RE: The ducks are getting away after being shot!
 

Buy a Patternmaster choke tube. You wont have to worry about it. I just bought mine before this season and you either hit them and they are STONE dead or you miss and they keep flying. My group of 10 guys shot 40 mallards yesterday that was out limit and we never lost a duck. We also all had Patternmaster chokes in. They rule, you could also get a dog it makes it a lot easier.

Good luck.

RE: The ducks are getting away after being shot!
 

Some good ideas. But, I would also use a better load like Hevi-shot. Using a PatternMaster will give you tighter patterns, but it will also be much louder.

RE: The ducks are getting away after being shot!
 

Just wondering why it would matter if it were louder. You are shooting a shotgun it is not like you are trying to be quiet. I hunt with 7 guys and i cant even tell if it is louder i will have to check that out this afternoon when we go out again.

RE: The ducks are getting away after being shot!
 

With all ported guns, weather shotguns or rifles, much more of the sound exits to the side of the muzzle via the ports.